All expectations entering the season were that Noelvi Marte would be the Reds' regular right fielder and have a chance to thrive on both sides of the game playing a position he only learned midway through 2025.
Instead, Marte couldn't get going at the plate. After Sunday's 9-6 loss to the Angels, Cincinnati optioned him to Triple-A Louisville. The club on Tuesday recalled outfielder Rece Hinds from Louisville to replace Marte on the 26-man roster.
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“He’s just having a tough time," Reds manager Terry Francona said about Marte after Sunday's game before a roster move was revealed. "He looks like he’s trying to hit everything. When you see him going up there and swinging at a 2-0 breaking ball, sometimes it’s hard to let the game come to you.”
In 11 games this season, Marte was batting .138 (4-for-29) with no extra-base hits, no RBIs and 10 strikeouts. He batted .263 with a .748 OPS, 14 homers and 51 RBIs in 90 games last season.
Hinds had a superb Spring Training and was one of the final camp cuts after batting .410 with a 1.414 OPS and five homers in 21 games. His production carried into the regular season with Louisville, where he was batting .354 with a 1.246 OPS, five homers and 16 RBIs in 13 games.